1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of miniature socket assemblies and, more specifically, to such socket arrangements of the type mounted on an insulating base and which are required to have an aperture at both ends of the socket body allowing the inserted pin of a component to extend through and beyond the socket but without allowing the entrance of solder or flux when the base is exposed to molten solder.
2. Prior Art
Miniature socket arrangements of the type used on printed circuit boards along with other circuit connections and components have in the past been soldered by dipping the board below the surface of molten solder such as in a conventional flow solder process. Since the sockets were conventionally closed at the bottom end, the solder as well as flux could be prevented from contaminating the interior of the socket by filling the socket with a suitable liquid material. While this procedure did prevent contamination, after soldering was complete, an extra production step was necessary to remove the liquid material. Two changes in the art brought about a need for a different solution. One was the use of open bottom sockets which allow the guide pins of a module to project through and beyond the socket so that pressure on the bottom of the pins could be used to help unseat the module. However, these open bottom sockets would not retain the fluid material which had previously prevented solder and flux contamination. The second change was the development of "wave" soldering which provides a fresh molten solder surface to the board for effective soldering without submerging the board. This meant that only the bottom opening of the socket needed to be protected from the solder-flux invasion and resultant contamination.